Progress of the first batch of Taiwan F-16V Block70 fighter jets returning to Taiwan: two fighter jets have taken off from Hawaii and are expected to arrive this week
Quick Look
- Progress on the first batch of 66 F-16V Block70 fighters purchased by Taiwan: Two single-seat fighters (aircraft numbers 6727 and 6728) took off from Joint Base Hickam, Hawaii, on the morning of the 7th, Taiwan time, and are expected to arrive in Taiwan this week.
- Delayed due to weather and technical issues, if the flight returns successfully, it may first pass through Guam for reconditioning before returning to Taiwan.
- The endurance will be improved compared to the older F-16A/B BLK20, and the number of aerial refuelings is expected to be reduced.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Taiwan used to purchase F-16A/B BLK20 fighter jets and put them into service in the 1990s. At that time, returning to Taiwan from Hawaii via Guam required multiple aerial refuelings. The newly purchased F-16V Block70 fighter jets are equipped with conformable fuel tanks (CFT) and additional auxiliary fuel tanks, which have improved endurance and are expected to reduce the need for aerial refueling.
my country's F-16V BLK70 fighter aircraft number 6727 recently flew in the United States. (File photo, taken by Jake Woodward)
[Reporter Tu Jumin/Taipei Report] my country has purchased 66 F-16V Block70 fighter jets from the United States, and the first batch has made new progress in returning to Taiwan. People are directly attacking in Hawaii. Two F-16V BLK70 fighter jets took off from Hawaii this morning (7th) Taiwan time. It remains to be seen whether they will fly back to Taiwan. Chinese military personnel have not commented, but based on the weather in Taiwan, the range and flight speed of the F-16V BLK70 fighter, and the distance between Hawaii and Taiwan, the chance of arriving in Taiwan this week is quite high.
The weather in Taiwan has been bad in the past two weeks, and there are some technical problems that need to be solved. Therefore, the F-16V BLK70 single-seat fighter planes numbered 6727 and 6728 stayed on standby at Joint Base Hickam, Hawaii, and did not take off until this morning. If my country takes the precedent of receiving F-16 BLK20 in the 1990s, these fighters may first fly to Guam for repairs and then wait for an opportunity to return to Taitung Zhihang Base.
my country's F-16A/B BLK20 fighter jets returned to Taiwan from Hawaii and Guam that year. (File photo)
The F-16 BLK20 returned to Taiwan in 1997. In that year, it flew from Hawaii to Guam for 6 aerial refueling times, and from Guam to Taiwan for 4 more times. The F-16V BLK70 fighter has conformable fuel tanks (CFT) on both sides of the back and three auxiliary fuel tanks. Its endurance is better than that of the F-16 BLK20, and the number of aerial refueling is expected to be reduced.
Although estimated based on range and flight speed, the F-16 BLK20 fighter jet takes about 8 hours and 20 minutes to fly from Hawaii to Guam, and about 4 hours and 40 minutes to fly from Guam to Chiayi, Taiwan. If this batch of F-16V BLK70s is determined to fly to Taiwan after taking off from Hawaii, it will still be affected by variables such as flight routes, repairs, length of stay in Guam, and weather conditions around Taiwan. The actual return time to Taiwan has yet to be tracked.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Two F-16V Block70 fighter jets will arrive at Zhihang Base in Taitung, Taiwan this week
Likely · Within days
The return to Taiwan may require refueling via Guam.
Possible · Within days
Open Questions
- Have the two fighter planes arrived in Taiwan safely?
- Will I fly directly back to Taitung Zhihang Base after undergoing recuperation in Guam?
- When will the subsequent batch of fighter jets be shipped back to Taiwan?
- When will the weather in Taiwan improve to facilitate follow-up fighter jets to take off?
